Bumper



w. A. aocmus. V BUMPER. APPLICATION FILED OCT. I5, I92].

1,417,712. K Patented May 30,1922

. limbs a and b of the bar such distance that they will snugly fit Iwhich the side minate at their front ends in spring support- UNITEDSTATES PATE NT OFFICE.

WALTER A. BOOKIUS, OF WILMETTE, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE BECKLEYRALSTON COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

BUMPER.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that a citizen of the United States, and a resident ofWilmette, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Bumpers, of which the followingis a full, clear, and. exact description.

My invention relates to bumpers for auto motive vehlcles,

particularly that type in beams of the chassis tering horns, and mypresent invention is designed especially for use on Reo trucks.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple and strong one piecebu'mper'bar together with simple means for rigidly securing the bar atits ends between and against the spring supporting horns of the vehiclechassis without in any wise disturbing the vehicle construction andarrangement or performing any operation thereon such as drilling.

On the accompanying drawing 'which shows the construction andapplication of my improved bumper,

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of the front end of a chassis framewith the bumper structure in place thereon, 1

*Fig. 2 is a plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 1, V I 4 g Fig. 3 is aperspective view of one end of the bumper bar, and

Fig. 4: is a bolt anchorage and clampin'g plates. I

On the drawing the chassis side beams 5 and 6 have the spring supportinghorns 5 and 6, a cross beam 7' extending between and secured to thechassis beams at the bases of the horns. The variousbeams are preferablychannel shape with the flanges of the chassis beams extending inwardlyand those of the cross beam extending rearwardly.

The bumper structure of my invention comprises the U-shape bumper bar 8bent from a single piece of channel bar with its flanges extendinginwardly. The parallel are spaced apart at against, the'inner sides ofthe chassis side beams and horns, with the inner squared ends of thelimbs abutting intimately Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 15, 1921.

I, WALTER A. BooKIUs,

perspective view of one of the Serial No. 507,890.

against the cross beam 7. The heightof the bumper bar is preferablyequal to the height of the chassis side beams and the bar is preferablysecured in horizontal position. To secure the bar rigidly in postion, Ipreferably utilize U or strap bolts 9 which span the limbs a and Z) andthe chassisside beams and which preferably extend diagonally in order toexert pull components parallel with the limbs a and wardly at right theresult that the .limbs are clamped laterally against the chassis beamsand longitudinally against the cross beam 7. I also preferably use asanchorage points for the strap bolts, the lamp bracket supporting bases10 which form part of the chassis equipment, and I thereby eliminate thenecessity of means on the chassis frame. To afford ac-v curate seatingfor the nuts 11 of the strap bolts I cut rectangular diagonallyextending slots 12 and 13 in the upper and lower fianges of each limb aand 6', these notches being in vertical alinement and affording theseats 14 and 15 for the bridge bars '16 which are of a thickness tosnuglyfitinto the slots. 7 p

angles to the plane ofthe strap .bolt so that the bridgebars will be 'atright angles-with the bolt limbs andwill-aiford accurate seat- I 1 'ingfor the nuts.

Z2 and also components out-- angles with the limbs with providingspecial anchorage Patented May 30,1922.

The seats 14 and 15 are at, right and against the cross beam 7.Thejstrap,

bolts which are of a width to intimately ceive the bar and chassis beamsarelnow slipped in place with their yokesagainst the brackets l0,.andthe bridge bars are then slipped on the ends of the bolts and into theslots and against the seats 14: and 15. The nuts 11 are now applied anddrawn up tight. Such drawing of the bolts will result in longitudinalpull components on the limbs a and b which will force and hold theirends into rigid abutment engagement-with the beam 7, and the resultinglateral components will force the limbssnugly againstthe inner sides ofthe chassis beams and horns, the

strap bolts also forming then rigid brackets for'holding the bumper baragainst vertical displacement. The tongues 17 and 18 will lock thebridge bars rigidly in the slots and will prevent any lateraldisplacement thereof while the nuts are being drawn up tight.

lVhen the bumper structure is thus rigidly secured in place, it forms astrong, rigid and ffective guard against front, side and diagonal bumps,the corners 0 of the bar 8 being well rounded so that diagonal bumpswill tend to glance off. As the-limbs of the U bar are intimatelyclamped against the springhorn ends, such ends are materiallystrengthened and reenforcedagainst bending or-crumpling. The strap boltsdo not take up any of the bump blows but such blows are transmitted tothe cross beam 7 and to the chassis frame of the vehicle. T he bumperstructure also effectively protects the lamp supporting brackets andlamps.

On chassis frames of the type referred to, openings 19 are provided inthe ends of. the cross beam 7 for accomodating' the leads for the lampssupported on the brackets 10. In order to take care of these leads, Iprovide openings 20 in the ends of the webs or" the limbs or and Z), theleads being then extended through the openings 19 and 20 to the lamps. Ido not desire to be limited to the exact construction and arrangementshown as changes and modifications are possible which would still comewithin the scope of the invention. I

I claim as follows:

1. The combination with the side beams of a chassis frame of a vehicle,inner abutments on said beams and outer abutments thereon, of a bumperstructure comprising a bumper bar having parallel supporting limbsengaging against the inner sides of said beams and against the innerabutments thereon, and securing members anchored on said outer abutmentsand surrounding said beams and limbs. I

v 2. The combination with the side beams'of a chassis-frame ofautomotive vehicles, inner abutments on said beams and outer abutmentsthereon, of a bumper structure com prising a bumper barhaving parallelsup porting limbs engaging against the inner sides of said beams at thefront ends thereof and engaging also against said inner abutments, andstrap bolts anchored against said outer abutments and receiving saidbeams and limbs, said strap bolts extending diagonally to exertlongitudinal and lateral pull components on said limbs to secure themagainst said beams and said inner abutments. I

3. The combination with the side beams of a vehicle chassis, innerabutments on said beams and outer abutments thereon, of a bumperstructure comprising a bar having supporting limbs engaging against theinner sides of said beams and against said inner new vsaic abutments,said limbs having notches, and strap bolts receiving said limbs and sidebeams and engaging insaid notches and against said outer abutments.

d. The combination with the side beams of a vehicle chassis, innerabutments on said beams and outer abutments thereon, of a bumperstructure comprising a bar having supporting limbs engaging against theinner sides of said beams and against said inner abutments, said limbshaving notches, and strap bolts receiving said limbs and side beams andengaging in said notches and against said outer abutments, said boltsextending diagonally to exert horizontal'and lateral pull componentsonsaid limbs to thereby secure them against said inner abutments andagainst saidbeams.

5. The combination with vehicle chassis side beams having inner andouter abutments thereon, of a bumper structure comprising a bumper barhaving supporting limbs extending therefrom, said limbs engaging withtheir sides oi 7 against said. inner abutments, having of said outerabutments, and diagonally extending strap bolts engaging against saidseats and said outer abutments to exert longitudinal and lateral pullcomponents on said limbs to securely hold them against said innerabutments and against said side beams.

6. The combination with vehicle chassis side beams having inner andouter abutments thereon, of a bumper structure comprising a bumper barhaving supporting limbs extending therefrom, said limbs engaging withtheir sides against the inner sides of said beams and with their endsagainst said inner abutments, said limbs having diagonally extendingseats in front of said outer abutments, and diagonally, e2 tending strapbolts engaging against, said seats and said outer abutments to exertlongitudinal and lateral pull; components on l limbs 'to securely holdthem against said inner abutments and'against said side beams, saidstrap bolts engaging intimately against the top and bottom sides of saidside beams to thereby serve as brackets for supporting said bumperstructure-bar against vertical displacement.

7. The combination with the side beams said limbs of a vehicle chassisand inner and outer abutments thereon, oi a bumper structure comprisinga bumper bar, parallel supporting limbs, said limbs engaging against theinner sides of said chassis side beams and with their ends against saidinner abutments, abutments on said limbs, and diagonally extending strapstructures intimately surrounding said limbs and side beams and engagingagainst said; limb abutments and said beam outer abutments for holdingsaid sides against the inner said beams and with their ends diagonallyextending seats in front limbs intimately against said side beams andsaid inner abutments and against vertical displacement.

8. The combination with the side beams of a vehicle chassis ments onsaid beams and outer abutments thereon, ofa bumper structure comprisinga bumper bar having supporting limbs of channel cross section, saidlimbs engaging with their webs against the inner sides of said beams andwith their flanges extending inwardly and engaging at their ends againstsaid inner abutments, notches in the flanges of the respective limbs,washer plates seated in said notches, and strap bolts hooking aroundsaid outer abutments and extend washer plates and having ing throughsaid nuts for engaging said plates.

9. The combination with the side beams of a vehicle chassis structure,inner abutments on said beams and outer abutments thereon, of a bumperstructure comprising a bumper bar having supporting limbs of channelcross section, said limbs engaging with their webs against the innersides of said beams and with their flanges extending inwardly andengaging at their ends against said inner abutments, notches in theflanges of the respective limbs, washer plates seated in said notches,and strap bolts hooking around said outer abutments and extendingthrough saidrwasher plates and having nuts for engaging said plates,said strap bolts extending diagonally to exert longitudinal and lateralpull components on said limbs to thereby hold them against said innerabutments and against said side beams.

10. The combination with the side beams of a vehicle chassis, innerabutments on said beams, and lamp structure supporting brackets securedat the outer sides of said beams, of a bumper structure comprising abumper section, parallel supporting limbs of channel cross section withtheir flanges extending inwardly, said limbs abutting with their websagainst the inner sides of said chassis beams and with their endsagainst said inner abutments, notches in the flanges of the respectivelimbs forwardly of said lamp strap bolts intimately surrounding saidside beams and limbs and engaging said brackets and in said notches.

11. The combination with the side beams of a vehicle chassis, innerabutments on said beams, and lamp structure supporting brackets securedon the outer sides thereof, of a bumper structure comprising a bumpersection, parallel supporting limbs extending from said bumper section,said limbs being structure, inner abut-' structure supporting brackets,and

of channel shape with their flanges extending inwardly and engaging withtheir webs against the inner sides of said side beams and with theirends against said inner abutments,

I notches in the flanges of the respective beams of a vehicle chassisframe, inner abutments on said beams, and outer abutments thereon, of abumper structure comprising a U-shape bumper bar formedrfrom a singlepiece of channel beam with the flangies extending inwardly, the limbs ofsaid bumper bar engaging against the inner sides of said chassis beamsand against said inner abutments, the flanges of the respective limbshaving notches therein in a plane forwardly from the plane of the outerabutments on said beams, and diagonally extending strap bolts receivingsaid beams and limbs and engaging said outer abutments and in saidnotches.

1 13. The combination with the chassis 12. The combination with the sidebeams frame of a vehicle comprising side beams terminating at theirfront ends in spring supporting horns, a cross beam connecting said sidebeams inwardly of said horn ends, lamp structure supporting brackets onthe outsides of said beams, of a bumper structure comprising a U-shapebumper bar formed of a single piece of channel beam with the flangesextending inwardly, the limbs of said bumper bar engaging against theinner sides of said chassis beams and with their ends abutting againstsaid cross beam, notches in the flanges of the respective limbs, washerplates seated in said notches, and diagonally extending strap boltshooked around said brackets and extending through said washer plates andhaving nuts engaging said plates whereby longitudinal and lateral pulleffort is exerted on said limbs to hold them against said side beams andsaid cross beam, said straps intimately engaging with said beams andlimbs to support said limbs against vertical displacement.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 23rd day ofSeptember, A. D., 1921.

WALTER A. BOOKIUS.

